Group of Balkars from Kabardino-Balkaria intends to go on hunger strike in Moscow

A group of 12 Balkars from Kabardino-Balkaria intends to hold a hunger strike action in Moscow. This has been reported to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by Muradin Rakhaev, the action organizer and former head of administration in the village of Bezengi.

According to Rakhaev, the aim of the action is to attract attention of federal authorities to the problems of Balkar nation. In particular, the hunger strike organizers demand a full scale introduction on the territory of Kabardino-Balkaria of the Federal law No 131 "On organizing local self-government in the Russian Federation", and also "the development of a mechanism of protection of the Balkar people rights".

Rakhaev reports that, in October last year, Balkars held a picket in Moscow with the same demands. At the time, they met with representatives of the federal authorities who promised them the problems would be resolved by February this year, however, in Rakhaev's opinion, nothing has changed except that the term "inter-village territories", to which Balkars protest, the republic's parliament has introduced the term "adjoining territories".

"Balkar villages have become deserted", concludes Rakhaev.

Commenting on the hunger strike action, academician Magomed Apshaev, board member of the public organization "Alan", says that "Alan" does not support such radical actions. "We hope to resolve the problem within the legal framework", said  Magomed Apshaev and noted that "the law is well adapted to the conditions of the republic ".

"The KBR parliament has made an attempt to implement the law. A draft law on the distribution of land among districts and even among settlements was passed in the first reading, but then, under the pressure of Adygei public, it cancelled its own laws", reported Apshaev noting that the solution of the problem was delayed.